Image by LizMArie_AK
If you’ve just found out that you and your partner are expecting, congratulations! There are probably a million thoughts running through your head right now revolving around baby names, nappies, prams and bibs, but one of the most important things you can do leading up to the big day is baby-proof your home. Check out this list of ways to child-proof your kitchen, while keeping it trendy.
Danger
Electrical outlets are no good for babies, especially those who can crawl; poking anything in there is dangerous. Replace your sockets with child-proof ones that slide to reveal the holes; babies can easily choke on the simple outlet covers that you can buy at the store.
Stoves are also a baby danger zone, my younger sister accidentally touched a hot stove once when she was little, and she ended up with some nasty blisters but no permanent damage – luckily. Induction stovetops are the most kid-friendly kind around, greatly reducing the chances of accidents.
Mess
Children make messes, sometimes big ones, and you can bet they are going to end up breaking or ruining something of yours along the line, but there are some precautions you can take to minimize the damage.
PVC tablecloths are a godsend for parents, even better than buying cheap Ikea tablecloths. With PVC tablecloths there is no food, juice or paint that can cause a stain, and they are incredibly easy to clean up. Luckily, you can find some stylish PVC tablecloths so your kitchen’s style won’t have to suffer for cleanliness.
Speaking of Ikea, they do make some wonderful child-appropriate kitchen equipment, especially when it comes to cups, plates and cutlery. You can find all of these things in plastic at Ikea in some fun colours, that way if you end up trying to feed a grumpy baby who would rather throw his plate on the floor than eat, you won’t have any broken glass to clean up (and you can save your nice plates for when friends come round.)
Reach
Kids love to run around like they’ve got ants in their pants. Some more mischievous children will disappear whenever you turn away for just a second. If you live in a home with stairs, or an easily opened front door this can be incredibly dangerous and I suggest you invest in childproof gates. That way if your baby does sneak away you’ll have the peace of mind knowing they’re not in harm’s way.
Some kids will grab at anything they can reach in the kitchen, for this reason you might choose to invest in re-organizing your kitchen design to accommodate your children; put breakable things up and out of their reach, remove sharp knives from drawers they can get into and move everything up. That way the only time they’ll be able to reach these things should be when they are old enough and mature enough to handle them.
You don’t need to completely re-design your kitchen simply because you have children, style shouldn’t come with conditions. You just have to make some minor additions and a few adjustments. Luckily, most baby-friendly things now-a-days are almost as cute as your little angel, almost.
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
Estelle Page is an interior designer and a mother of two who blogs for KDCUK Kitchens, from whom she finds inspiration to keep her kid-friendly home trendy.